Buí
Misty rain, slippery stones,
a morning dip in the water.
A slice of toast, kitchen chats,
the thrill of a beaded headpiece.
Patchgallery bedspreads, cabbages,
shells sticking together. In a world of our own for a while,
appreciating but probably not quite
fully realising how restorative it was.
Sharing stories and sharing meals,
tiny details considered.
A day of rain, a day of sun,
two seasons all rolled into one memory.
Buí is a collection of images created in collaboration with photographer Doreen Kilfeather, first exhibited at Sarah Walker Gallery in 2024. The series was shot on location at Bothar Buí, West Cork, featuring fashion pieces by Simone Rocha. Themes of retreat, domesticity, women and nature are woven through the images which were created in winter and summer seasons 2020/21.
Project
IMMA Members Programme: Simone Rocha In Conversation with Perry Ogden
Consultancy and Creative production
Consultant , Creative Production and Research on an ‘In Conversation’ event, with internationally renowned fashion designer Simone Rocha and photographer and filmmaker Perry Ogden. The discussion explored Simone’s celebrated fashion practice, inspired and influenced by a deep connection to art and the art world. Approached through the lens of a series of projects and collaborations inspired by Perry Ogden’s body of work, the conversation was supported with images researched from both practices and wider references from Irish culture, art and society. The event took place at IMMA’s Great Hall to a sold out audience of 300+ attendees.
Date
2025
Quote
“Growing up in Dublin, I've always loved IMMA. As a place, the stone building itself, how it wraps around the courtyard with the formal gardens on the edge, but then the contrast of the provocative shows hanging inside. A very memorable exhibition for me was the Louise Bourgeois 'Stitches in Time '. I saw it just as I was going to start studying at NCAD. I was taken aback by the intimacy of the pieces, two towering bodies embracing and hanging in these big stone rooms. It also showed me the power of textiles in a sculpture. “ - Simone Rocha
Project
Fashion Communication, NCAD x CFA
Course Lead
Research and development of Ireland’s first postgraduate Professional Diploma in Fashion Communication, delivered by NCAD (National College of Art & Design) in collaboration with CFA (Creative Futures Academy).
The course examines how fashion is communicated, promoted, and produced as a key element of contemporary visual culture. Drawing on industry experience and a multidisciplinary approach, the program encourages students to develop a distinctive voice, challenge conventions, and position their practice within the evolving narratives of global fashion. Curated guest lecture series—connecting education and industry—is a central feature of the course.
Date
Research and Development 2021-2023
Academic Years 2024, 2025
Select Guest Speakers
Celestine Cooney / Stylist
Isabella Rose Davey/ COO CPH FW
Ena Quinn / Producer
Rich Gilligan / Photographer
Andrea Horan/ Entrepreneur, Activist
Tom Johnson / Photographer
Kieran Kilgallon/ Stylist
Robyn Lynch/ Designer
Richard Malone/ Artist & Designer
Grace Margetson / Creative Direction & Brand Strategy
Paul McLauchlan / Fashion Writer
Deirdre McQuillan/ Irish Times Fashion Editor, Freelance Writer
Ciara Nic Chormaic/ Filmmaker
Niamh O’Donoghue/ Global Head of Social, Stella McCartney
Perry Ogden/ Photographer
Naoise O’Keefe / Founder Hot Potato News, Associate Lecturer in Photography
A multidisciplinary presentation of Irish fashion, craft and design for Showcase Ireland, held annually at the RDS.
2023, The Dancehall
2024, The Table, The Tree
2025, The Circle
The Showcase trilogy was
created through collaboration with Movement Director, Robyn Byrne and Set Designer, Dee Morgan Smyth.
The Circle is an assemblage of contemporary Irish creativity and our rich cultural past. The visuals combine archive footage from the National Folklore Collection, music from New Jackson, abstract cityscape filmed by Cian Copeland and Toby Karr's reimagining of Paddy Molony and Sean Potts tin whistles.
Archival footage courtesy of the National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin. Silent footage shot on 16mm film, showing an assembly of unidentified dancers and musicians, recorded in county Wicklow c.1960.
Project
MoMuse Creative Direction and Styling
Creative Direction across photography and video, showcasing the brands modernist, minimal designs through evocative campaigns.
MoMuse timeless gold designs are officially hallmarked at Dublin Castle’s Assay Office. This much loved Irish brand is housed in its flagship store at the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre in Dublin.
Date
Campaigns 2018 / 2020 / 2022 / 2024
Talent styling, curation of Irish brands and stage consultation for Ireland 100: An Old Song Resung. Presented by RTÉ and South Wind Blows, the live concert production marked 100 years of the Irish State as part of the Decade of Centenaries Programme 2012-2023.
Featured artists included, Damien Dempsey, Aiden Gillen, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Síle Denvir, Bláth na hÓige, Liam Ó Maonlaí, Iarla Ó Lionáird, Loah, Donal Lunny, Martin Hayes, FeliSpeaks, Diarmaid Ferriter, Sally Mulready OBE, the London Irish Pensioners Choir
Project
Jennifer Slattery Textiles
Creative Direction
Creative Direction supporting Jennifer Slattery Textiles brand development from homewares into fashion, through a series of photographic campaigns.
Jennifer Slattery Textiles is a Dublin-based studio renowned for creating timeless, heirloom-quality pieces using natural Irish fabrics, primarily linen and lambswool.
All items are designed, produced, and hand-finished in Ireland, in collaboration with local weavers and suppliers.
Date
2022 / 2023 / 2024 / 2025
Project
Kildare Village, The Bicester Collection
Consultant, Irish Fashion and Culture
IMMA Desire: A Revision, 2019-2020
Consultant and creative production on IMMA’s first-ever fashion partnership with Kildare Village Fashion Bursary in celebration of a major international group show, Desire: A Revision – From the 20th Century to the Digital Age in 2019. Creative support on multiple outputs across graphic design (Pony Ltd.), IMMA artist edition (Dorothy Cross) videography (Little Beast), campaign photography (Sarah Doyle) experience, events and onsite activation at both partner locations in Kildare and Dublin.
RCA, London, 2015-2020
Studio Aisling Farinella has played a pivotal role in directing the RCA Kildare Village Bursary, an initiative designed to support emerging fashion talent from Ireland pursuing studies at the Royal College of Art. Under her guidance, the bursary has recognized and supported designers such as Michael Stewart of Standing Ground and Andrew Bell, providing them with opportunities to further develop their creative practices and gain international exposure. Farinella's leadership has been instrumental in fostering a nurturing environment that bridges Irish design talent with global platforms, reinforcing the importance of cultural and educational support in the fashion industry.
Thread is renowned as a ground-breaking fashion publication in Ireland. The Berliner newspaper print magazine documented a new wave of Irish talent influencing a global industry. Positioning local culture within an international design narrative, Thread contributed to a shift in perceptions of Ireland, fashion, and Irish identity. Thread was co-created with Keith Nally and Garrett Pitcher.
Featured
Linda Brownlee, Celestine Cooney, Isabella Rose Davey, Rich Gilligan, Doreen Kilfeather, Richard Malone,, Andrew Nuding, Alastair McKimm, Niall O’Brian, Perry Ogden, Richard O’Mahony, Alen MacWeeney, Gareth McConnell, Ross McDonnell, John Rocha, Simone Rocha, Leonn Ward
Published:
The Friends Issue, 2011
One Thing Leads To Another, 2011
The Inherited Issue, 2012
Out Of Our Comfort Zone Issue, 2012
Move It On, 2013
Fall Into Place, 2013
The Way There, 2014
Thread x SEEK, 2015
Disconnect, 2016
Nonlinear, 2017